Pierre Gasly has admitted that he doesn't always agree with what Helmut Marko has to say, but appreciates his "very straightforward" and "no filter" approach. Marko, 78, has overseen the Red Bull driver development programme for more than two decades and also became a special advisor to the brand's Formula 1 team when it arrived on the grid in 2005. Over the years, he has guided the likes of Sebastian Vettel, Daniel Ricciardo, Carlos Sainz and Max Verstappen to the top echelon, with Gasly another to climb the ranks under the Austrian's stewardship. But while there are several success stories, some drivers have struggled to meet the high expectations placed on them by Marko and Red Bull, either being demoted from the senior team or losing their spot altogether.
Gasly: I don't always agree with Marko, but I respect him
Gasly himself has experienced the Red Bull rollercoaster, initially being promoted from Toro Rosso (now AlphaTauri) to partner Verstappen at Red Bull in 2019, only to be sent back to the sister outfit 12 races later. Having rebuilt his career over the last two-and-a-half seasons, Gasly is waiting for another opportunity in race-winning machinery, with Marko recently hinting that a second chance at Red Bull may soon arrive . Putting talk of a possible Red Bull return to one side, Gasly has explained how his relationship with Marko stands today. "I get on well with him," said Gasly in an exclusive interview with RacingNews365.com . "He's a very straightforward person, which is good, because there is no filter. It doesn't mean I always agree with what he says, but what I really appreciate and respect is that he always says his opinion and what he thinks. "You don't waste any time talking with him, because you know exactly where you're going, and I really appreciate that."
Another key member of the Red Bull/AlphaTauri camp
Another important figure in Gasly's F1 career to date is Franz Tost, his current team boss at AlphaTauri, with their relationship kicking off in a similarly direct manner. "It has evolved a lot from when I started," Gasly commented. "I remember at Christmas in 2017, after my first five races [in F1], having a meeting with him in his office in Faenza, basically [for him] to tell me that I could not enjoy the off-season, that I had to be 24/7 thinking about F1! "It was very, very deep conversation with him and I could see that he's very dedicated and committed, which I like." Since then, their relationship has flourished, according to Gasly. "After [that] we discovered and learned a bit more about each other, how I work, the freedom that I need - because I need my space, I need to be myself - and what he needs, what he requires," added the Frenchman. "At the end of the day, we both have the same target. We both want to be right at the front and push every single member of the team forward. "I think now we have a good vision and connection and I really enjoy working with him."
Focusing on the present to deliver the future
As questions about his future - and what Red Bull will decide to do for 2023 - gather pace, Gasly says he is fully focused on delivering what he can for AlphaTauri during his third consecutive season with the team. "As a driver, I think the approach and mentality is always to do the best with the car that you have," he said. "I think it's important to work really hard. You work all your life for one thing, to be the best version [of yourself] and the best driver you can be. "It's important to also get the right tools to show that. My goal is to win races, and to win races you need a car that is capable of winning races. "At the moment, my head is into trying to make the best out of the car that I've got now, because this is what's gonna make a difference for what's gonna happen in the next few years."
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